The present invention relates to simulation environments, and more particularly to techniques that provide a paper interface for replaying time-based media information generated by a simulation and/or restarting execution of a simulation program.
Simulators or simulation applications/programs are used in various fields for a variety of applications. For example in the medical field, simulators are commonly used for virtual surgeries and for training doctors. In the defense field, simulators such as flight simulators, troop movement simulators, scenario simulators, etc. are used to train personnel such as pilots, tank commanders, etc. Flight simulators are also being used in the aviation field for training pilots. Simulators are also used for other applications.
Simulation programs in the form of video games are becoming very popular in the consumer entertainment industry. The video gaming industry has enjoyed great success over the past few years. It is estimated that total video game sales topped $10 billion in 2003. The age group of video game players has also widened significantly over the last few years. In addition to male game players, the last few years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of female participants. The video gaming industry is thus expected to see continued explosive growth.
Due to the ever increasing use of simulators in different application domains, techniques that provide different ways of using simulators and accessing information generated by the simulations are desirable.